A HERO sailor who risked his life to save a driver seconds before his car burst into flames has been nominated for an award.

Brave Peter McCaffery was travelling home from a four-month tour of duty with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in war-torn Libya when he came across the crash on the A68, near Darlington, last October.

The 50-year-old leapt into action, dragging dad-of-one Andrew Basham, 32, from the wreckage.

Mr McCaffery, a father of two, then went back to help another driver also trapped in his car following the crash.

Now police officers have put the Royal Fleet Auxiliary seaman forward for a bravery award.

But modest Mr McCaffery, of West Auckland, County Durham, who has just returned from a trip with the Royal Marines as they completed security training ahead of the London Olympics, said he just did what he had to do.

“I didn’t do it for recognition,” he said. “I just saw the accident and knew I had to get the people out of there.

“The second driver was an older man and I felt sorry for him as he was clearly in a lot of pain, but I knew I had to get him away from the scene. I’d love to know how he is doing now.

“My children would be happy if I got an award, though. They went to school after it happened and the teacher told the whole class about it. My friends on the ship were saying I had done well too.”

Both drivers were taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital by ambulance after the accident, on October 12.

A 60-year-old man suffered a fractured spine, breast bone and elbow.

A Durham Constabulary spokesman said: “Mr McCaffery and a number of other people who helped at the scene were nominated for an award in recognition of their bravery that day.

“The Society for the Protection of Life from Fire is considering their nominations and hopefully those put forward will soon be notified of the outcome.”

The Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, established in 1836, gives recognition to people who perform acts of bravery in rescuing others.

It encourages police forces and fire brigades to report such acts and to nominate for formal recognition those who act heroically.